On the city wall of Xiapi.
The entire city of Xiapi was now filled with an atmosphere of extreme tension. The fall of Pengcheng had undoubtedly completely reversed the situation in Xiapi, and indeed, in Xu Province.
It seemed… the situation here was moving in an irreversible direction.
At this moment, in a corner of the city wall, Liu Bei stood there, gazing into the distance… billowing smoke, flying sand and stones, coupled with the rumbling sound of ten thousand horses' hooves, all signaled that Cao Cao's army was fast approaching.
"Such a rapid advance…"
Liu Bei's expression remained unreadable, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, exuding a heroic aura of facing disaster with an unperturbed countenance.
He was exceptionally skilled at concealing his thoughts, making it difficult for anyone to truly fathom his inner workings.
Guan Yu and Zhang Fei had gone to drill the soldiers. Currently, only Zhao Yun stood by Liu Bei's side.
"My Lord, there is something I have kept in my heart for a long time, and I must speak it now," Zhao Yun said…
"Zilong, speak your mind freely," Liu Bei turned to face Zhao Yun, his tone remarkably gentle.
Zhao Yun gazed at the flying sand and stones in the distance, and then spoke, "I have never understood. Although Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu are embroiled in battles, they command hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Even a small detachment from their forces would be enough to relieve Xu Province."
"Yet they observe each other, unwilling to send troops to aid Xu Province. My Lord commands no more than two thousand men, with Generals Guan, Zhang, and Zhao… how dare you confront Cao Cao's hundred thousand strong army?"
"Moreover, the situation worsens by the moment. Cao Cao's army presses forward, and anyone can see that Xiapi will inevitably fall into Cao Cao's hands sooner or later. Why must my Lord persist in defending it? Like a mantis trying to stop a chariot? Why delay your departure?"
Upon hearing this question, Liu Bei paused for a moment, then his spirit was visibly lifted.
"Good, well asked, Zilong. If you hadn't asked, I would have told you sooner or later."
Liu Bei's expression suddenly became much more serious, his tone gaining a hint of meticulousness. "In this world today, heroes of all walks of life dominate their territories through military might and strategic cunning. While my Liu Bei falls short of them in military terms, I possess two things they do not."
"Firstly, I uphold benevolence and righteousness as the foundation of my character and my way of treating others. In my opinion, the great chaos in the world stems from the disorder of people's hearts. To govern a chaotic era, one must first win over hearts. I must oppose unrighteousness with benevolence, and injustice with righteousness."
"Secondly, as a descendant of the Han imperial family, my lifelong aspiration is to eliminate traitors and support the Han. Tao Qian was appointed by the late Emperor and always governed with benevolence and righteousness. Assisting him is supporting the Han. Cao Cao, under the guise of avenging his father, actually covets Xu Province and aims for ultimate control of the empire. His ambition is evident. True, he uses some stratagems to gain the support of the populace and the gentry, but even if he can deceive everyone, all the common people, he cannot deceive me, Liu Bei. By raising an army to resist Cao, I am opposing unrighteousness with benevolence! I am rejecting the villain's injustice with the great righteousness of the realm…"
Speaking to this point, Liu Bei raised his voice. "Even if this defense of Xiapi is lost, I must let the world see, let them realize one thing…"
"What is that?" Zhao Yun asked urgently.
"The light of righteousness will ultimately shine upon the land. As long as righteousness endures, righteousness will forever remain!"
With these words, Liu Bei's eyes became resolute, and his posture straightened. Likewise, these words made Zhao Yun sincerely admire him!
"My Lord… I understand. I shall go and drill the troops, and prepare for battle!" Zhao Yun's voice became choked with emotion, slightly hoarse, clearly moved by Liu Bei's words.
"Go forth…" Liu Bei waved his hand, and Zhao Yun, carrying his Dragon-Resplendent Silver Spear, ran down towards the city.
A long sigh escaped Liu Bei after Zhao Yun had gone far. He then closed his eyes.
He was a master of concealment. That lengthy discourse had almost convinced himself. However… there was one point Zhao Yun had made with great accuracy: in times of chaos, with Liu Bei commanding less than two thousand soldiers and only Guan, Zhang, and Zhao as his generals… what could he possibly achieve?
If he did not come to Xu Province and take a bold gamble… would he still have a chance?
Just then…
Two scholars quickly ascended the city steps and hurried towards Liu Bei.
Upon seeing these two, Liu Bei's brows slightly lifted, and he became more alert, quickly moving to meet them.
His voice, however, was deliberately lowered.
"Gongyou, Zizhong, you have finally arrived. Did things proceed smoothly?"
Among these two, the one Liu Bei addressed as Gongyou was Sun Qian, and the one called Zizhong was Mi Zhu. Both were representative figures of the commoner faction in Xu Province, and from the moment Liu Bei entered Xu Province, his primary contact had been with this faction.
Liu Bei had done his homework thoroughly. Xu Province, though called the great granary, was in reality a complex melting pot of various factions, and due to the suppression by the Danyang faction and the faction of renowned scholars, the commoner faction had a difficult time in Xu Province.
It could be said that in prior secret meetings, Sun Qian and Mi Zhu had been successfully won over by Liu Bei and now stood by his side.
"My Lord, Tao Xu Province's illness has not improved. However… a complication has arisen."
Sun Qian spoke truthfully, "It seems… the faction of renowned scholars, Chen Gui and his son Chen Deng, are more inclined to surrender the city. Meanwhile, Cao Bao of the Danyang faction insists on resistance… and the most crucial matter is…"
Before Sun Qian could finish, Liu Bei blurted out, "It must be Tao Xu Province Governor Tao Shang, right?"
Indeed… the greatest complication Sun Qian wanted to mention was Tao Shang.
This eldest son of Xu Province, Liu Bei had met him before. He had initially thought him to be a mere ordinary young lord. Who would have thought that in a subtle exchange of words, Liu Bei discerned that Tao Shang was not simple at all.
Liu Bei, being adept at concealing his thoughts, how could he not see through Tao Shang, who was at a lower level than him… his skill in concealment?
He and the Danyang faction would not so easily hand over Xu Province, whether it be to Cao Cao… or to himself, Liu Bei.
"My Lord, please lean closer… I heard…"
Mi Zhu beckoned, and Liu Bei quickly took a few steps closer. Mi Zhu then recounted the intelligence he had gathered to Liu Bei…
As he spoke, Liu Bei's eyes gradually narrowed, a hint of sharpness appearing within them.
As expected, Tao Shang intended to test him, Liu Bei?
But… in what manner would he test him? Liu Bei couldn't help but fall into thought…
"My Lord…" Sun Qian raised another question that weighed on his mind. "If we are to execute your plan, the most crucial prerequisite is that Xiapi must be held. Will Cao Cao… truly not attack the city?"
Upon hearing this, Mi Zhu also looked at Liu Bei…
Clearly, they were particularly concerned about this question.
Speaking of which, Liu Bei's objective in coming to Xu Province was the same as Cao Cao's. However, Cao Cao openly schemed for Xu Province, while Liu Bei schemed for Xu Province under the guise of concealed intentions…
He had his own plan, and as Sun Qian's question implied, his plan was predicated on Xiapi not being breached by Cao Cao.
This…
"Gongyou, rest assured, Cao Cao will not take Xiapi," Liu Bei's words were definitive…
…Sun Qian momentarily froze, and quickly pressed, "Why?"
A faint smile appeared on Liu Bei's lips.
"Because I understand Cao Cao, and I also understand the expert beside him. Capturing Xiapi and taking Xu Province might seem advantageous, but in reality, it would bring more harm than good to Cao Cao! Even if Cao Cao himself cannot see this, the person beside him certainly will."
"Heh heh… he will stop Cao Cao from attacking Xiapi."
Having said this, Liu Bei turned around, placing his hands behind his back. "Let us proceed according to the plan for now. We shall wait and see who ultimately controls Xiapi."
As Liu Bei had said, at this very moment… within and without Xiapi, the situation was turbulent!
…
…
Xu Province, Xiapi.
The long-absent flying sand stirred up in this prosperous city region.
Billowing black smoke billowed forth, like the clarion call of war, carrying a chilling killing intent that drifted towards them!
In just a short while…
Smoke and dust swirled, and countless banners bearing the character "Cao" appeared before the eyes of the numerous defenders on the city wall.
A force of one hundred thousand, led by Cao Cao, appeared at the foot of Xiapi city… it seemed a great battle was about to commence.
Cao Cao's army, this irresistible force that had achieved victory in consecutive battles…
The armor of every soldier appeared somewhat tattered, but… conversely, their formation was exceptionally orderly. Their robes were stained with the enemy's blood, and their swift hooves neighed incessantly.
This caused all the defenders of Xiapi to be invigorated…
Cao Cao could see the ranks of fearful Xu Province soldiers lining the city wall, and he could also see a man in scholarly robes standing among them, appearing to be around thirty years old.
Of course… if the intelligence regarding Tao Qian's grave illness was accurate, then this man in scholarly robes was likely his son, Tao Shang.
Besides him, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei stood prominently on the city wall.
However… what was particularly unusual was that all the defending soldiers on the entire Xiapi city wore white robes…
Cao Cao found it difficult to understand what scheme Tao Shang was concocting.
Immediately…
Cao Cao gave a signal to Cao Ren beside him. Cao Ren spurred his horse forward, shouting a command that the herald repeated.
"The situation has come to this, is Tao Qian not to quickly exit the city and surrender…"
"If you refuse to surrender, then upon the city's fall, not a single member of your Tao family will be spared."
This was standard procedure. In warfare, there were always rules. It was a case of "first courtesy, then force," asking if you would surrender first…
Of course, this was merely a formality. Anyone with a bit of sense would know that Tao Qian would not surrender, and Cao Cao did not intend to let him surrender.
Yet, at this moment…
"Dong… dong…" The great gate of Xiapi swung open. Unbeknownst to them, Tao Shang had descended from the city wall and emerged alone from within the city gate…
This… Cao Cao was slightly surprised. What was this about? Could it be that he was truly surrendering?
At this moment, Tao Shang, clad in mourning attire, bowed respectfully towards Cao Cao's army on the moat bridge, his posture extremely humble…
Immediately, he raised his voice and shouted, "Duke Cao has personally come to seek retribution. My father and I know we are no match for you, so we have come out to beg for forgiveness. Duke Cao… would you be willing to come out for a meeting?"
Upon hearing this…
Cao Cao rode his horse forward, escorted by his personal guards, stopping about twenty paces from the moat. Cao Cao waved his whip. "You all? For what offense?"
Tao Shang shook his head and sighed, then begged for forgiveness, saying, "Old Master Cao departed from Langya Commandery in Xu Province. My father wished to take this opportunity to befriend Duke Cao, so our entire family, young and old, served Old Master Cao as if he were a prince… no… as if he were our own father. Upon his departure, my father also gifted him with gifts worth one hundred thousand qian and dispatched the subordinate general Zhang Kai to escort him…"
"Who would have thought that this villain, seeing the wealth, would plot to harm Old Master Cao, causing my father to commit a great error and fall into a desperate state of injustice."
Speaking to this point, Tao Shang's voice was filled with tears, his entire face brimming with guilt and regret.
"The great error has been committed. My father now lies on his sickbed, afflicted with a terminal illness and likely with little time left. Yet he still weeps incessantly, feeling that he has wronged Old Master Cao. He has instructed us all to wear mourning clothes, and has also asked the people of Xiapi to wear mourning clothes, as a sign of mourning for Old Master Cao!"
"Duke Cao, my Xiapi city borders the Huai River to the south and connects with Yu Province to the north. All its northern territories have submitted to Duke Cao, and there is no intention of resistance. I implore Duke Cao to show leniency, and at least allow me to lead troops south… to apprehend that villain Zhang Kai from Yuan Shu's military camp, flay him alive, and extract his heart and liver. Then, I shall present this heart and liver, along with Xiapi city, as an offering!"
While Tao Shang was speaking tearfully, Cao Cao was observing. He was observing the entire city wall…
This was not right. It was too quiet.
If Tao Shang truly submitted, then why would the defending soldiers on the city wall be so silent? They should have some reaction, shouldn't they?
Therefore…
Was there an ambush on the city wall?
Cao Cao let out a breath. Fortunately, he, Cao Cao, had not been blindly careless. If he had moved another step closer, he would have entered the range of the archers on the city wall.
Wait a moment…
It wasn't just the archers!
Cao Cao had keenly noticed several seemingly unintentional remarks in Tao Shang's speech.
"Xiapi city connects with Huainan to the south and borders Yu Province."
And the sentence, "apprehend that villain Zhang Kai from Yuan Shu's military camp." Both of these sentences carried profound meaning!
Cao Cao's eyes narrowed, and he pondered for a moment.
In a few brief moments, Cao Cao's mind became clear.
Ah, so that's how it is…
Cao Cao suddenly realized that Tao Shang was reminding him… reminding him of the strategic location of Xiapi city. To the south of Xiapi city lay Yuan Shu, who was known as the "Destruction King of Huainan."
Indeed, with Cao Cao's current strength, bordering Yuan Shu was not a good thing!
So… Tao Shang, while ostensibly begging for forgiveness, actually had ulterior motives. His true intention was to remind him, Cao Cao, of Xiapi city's location…
This made Cao Cao hesitate.
Taking Xiapi city was simple enough, but in reality… the subsequent troubles after taking Xiapi city would be numerous. Yuan Shu and Cao Cao harbored old grudges, and Yuan Shu was by no means an easy opponent!
No wonder Tao Shang dared to come down from the city to beg for forgiveness; it turned out… he had something to rely on.
While Cao Cao was thinking this, Tao Shang gradually intensified his tone. "Duke Cao, please see clearly. Although my father is guilty, it was an act of unintentional flattery, not intentional transgression. I beg Duke Cao, on this account, to show some leniency for my father and me, to temporarily withdraw your troops, and allow us to kill the rebels and redeem ourselves!"
With these words… Tao Shang knelt on both knees, his head bowed, adopting the posture of a subordinate facing a superior.
And Cao Cao…
Silence. A long silence…
Ten breaths, twenty breaths, thirty breaths!
The entire area around the moat bridge fell into silence.
It was only after fifty breaths that Cao Cao finally spoke.
"Tao Shang, your father has always feigned obscurity, he is hypocritical and treacherous! Although his subordinates murdered my father, this tragedy was solely caused by him. Now you speak with a silver tongue? How can I believe you?"
"Hmph, let me be blunt with you. Given that you are in mourning, I will not make things difficult for you. Hurry back and prepare for battle. I will take Xiapi city ten days from now."
"At that time, I will take your father's head to inform my father's 'spirit in heaven'… If you are wise, you will return, cut off your father's head, open the city gate, and welcome my army in."
"Furthermore, please convey this message to the citizens in the city: I, Cao Cao, am only punishing Tao Qian in this campaign against Xu Province; I will not pursue his remaining followers. All that I have passed through the common people has been without transgression, as evidenced by Langya Commandery, Donghai Commandery, and Pengcheng. Reassure them, I, Cao Cao, will not kill another person."
Having said this, Cao Cao waved his hand and rode away, his army camping on the spot…
And Tao Shang, watching Cao Cao gradually depart, a different glint flashed in his eyes.
He muttered to himself, Cao Cao… you should be able to understand my meaning, right? If you have understood, then it will be you, Cao Mengde, who withdraws your troops ten days from now, won't it?
Leaving Xiapi city, making Xiapi city a buffer zone between your territory and Yuan Shu's territory, this would bring you… countless benefits and no harm!
…
…